How Can I Obtain Copies of Records
Associated with a Pinellas County Criminal Case?
Open Pinellas County Criminal Cases
The files of currently open and pending cases are stored at the Pinellas County Clerk of Court’s Office located on the second floor of the Criminal Justice Center, 14250 49th Street North, in Clearwater.
Closed Pinellas County Criminal Cases
Files of closed cases are typically stored at the Clerk’s off-site Records Center located at 14155 49th Street North in Clearwater. (Directly across the street from the Criminal Justice Center.) The amount of time a record is retained varies by the type of court case. The Bureau of Archives and Records, Department of State in Tallahassee, Florida governs the destruction of all court records.
Records are microfilmed if the retention of the file is sufficient enough to warrant the microfilming process. Court files, such as traffic court records, are not microfilmed because of their relatively short retention schedule. However, other types of court files are routinely filmed prior to being destroyed. Duplicate copies of all microfilmed records are then sent out-of-state for retention. This is done as a precautionary measure to ensure record preservation in the event of a local disaster. Microfilmed felony and misdemeanor court records may be viewed at the Clerk’s Office in the Criminal Justice Center. This service is free of charge.
All records, with the exception of Juvenile records, are available for public viewing during the Clerk’s operating hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm. Unless a record has been previously sealed or expunged, it is available for viewing by any inquiring member of the public. This general excludes juvenile records. Due to the sensitive nature of these files, they are only viewable by court order, or by the person to whom the juvenile record relates. If you wish to view a file relating to a juvenile charge, you must present proper photo identification.
The Clerk of Court offers duplicate copies of both paper records and microfilm for a small fee. Certified copies of these documents are also available.
Read our webpage article on sealing or expunging your criminal records.
Watch our video on the benefits of sealing or expunging your criminal records.
Related Links:
Additional Resources:
- Free Online Viewing of Your Pinellas County Criminal Records
- Pinellas County Jail Online Booking / Arrest Records
For more information related to this topic you can request a brochure from the Clerk’s Office entitled: “What Can You Find at the Records Center?” by calling (727)464-7000.
